Members Statements in the Ontario Legislature
Re: Bill 83

Ms Frances Lankin (Beaches-Woodbine):
My question is to the Premier. I want to talk to you about keeping
promises. This is with respect to the Ontarians with Disabilities
Act. On May 24, 1995, you wrote a letter to David Baker and to
the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee in which you said
that a Harris government would be willing to enact an Ontarians
with Disabilities Act in its first term of office. You also said,
"I would be pleased to work together with your committee"
- meaning the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee - "in
development of such legislation."

Premier, I know you're going to tell me that your
minister and her parliamentary assistant have met with these groups,
and with the ODA Committee in particular, on a number of occasions.
But they've written to you on a number of occasions when this
bill has been stalled and slowed down and when they feared that
it wouldn't come through and they've asked to meet with you. Now,
I've got to tell you, they describe the legislation that has been
introduced as a kick in the stomach. They don't have faith in
your minister; they really want to meet with you. Would you be
willing to live up to this promise and meet with the Ontarians
with Disabilities Act Committee?

Hon Michael D. Harris (Premier):
As you have indicated, I have lived up to my commitment and my
promise that our government would introduce an Ontarians with
Disabilities Act. I indicated as well that we would work with
the group. I believe that there now have been 10 meetings with
either the minister or the parliamentary assistant and I say this:
While the group might argue that the bill is not the bill they
would draft and doesn't go as far as they would like, I think
it's important to note that it is absolutely the first of its
kind in Canada. It puts the most onerous requirements on the public
sector, sending a signal that we want to work our way through
this ourselves, before it is completely compulsory for the private
sector. It requires government to review over 600 pieces of legislation,
thousands of government initiatives and, if passed, it puts it
into legislation for the very first time in the history of Ontario
and indeed for the first time anywhere across Canada.

Ms Lankin: Premier, I
know that's what the briefing note from the ministry says. You
already had an obligation as a government under the charter to
review all legislation and bring it in line with provisions of
the charter and the Human Rights Code.

There is nothing new in this legislation. It is not
a step forward and, Premier, I've got to tell you, there is nothing
in the legislation that compels you to do anything after you've
reviewed these 600 pieces of legislation, acts, policies etc.
You've got to take a real step here and you've got to listen to
people. It's not just a group. Please, don't dismiss them. There
are a million and a half people with disabilities in this province.
These people and all of their organizations are saying this legislation
is a dismal failure and it doesn't deserve the name, the Ontarians
with Disabilities Act.

Premier, please, would you just make one commitment
here today? Would you commit to meet with the Ontarians with Disabilities
Act Committee and at least listen to them yourselves so you can
see if they make sense, common sense, in the argument they are
putting forward?

Hon Mr Harris: Let me
say, this government has taken more initiatives and more actions
than any other government in Ontario's history and indeed any
other government across Canada.

We brought in the Ontario disabilities support program.
For the first time, we took disabled people off welfare, where
you let them languish. Your government and the Liberal government
and former governments for the 10 years of your two parties let
them languish. We've created a separate program there with the
support of your party, and I think you in particular.

We have had more people with disabilities, including
a former New Democratic member who came forward and said of the
move that we made, "This is the biggest breakthrough in the
history of the Ontario Legislature." That's a former NDP
member of the government who couldn't get you to move when you
were in office.

Yes, I have written to Mr Lepofsky. I have indicated
there will be ample opportunities. We're interested in more dialogue.
This bill will work its way through the process. But I tell you
this: It may not be perfect in your terms, but it's -

The Speaker (Hon Chris Stockwell):
Thank you. Final supplementary.

Ms Lankin: Premier, I
have a copy of your letter to Mr Lepofsky. It arrived today. I
have the copy here. You completely ignored the central request
they made, which was just to meet with you. Yesterday, you were
fine to meet with people in Vaughan and have breakfast around
a kitchen table and talk to folks. That's OK. Of course, it was
a photo op. If they brought the cameras, would you be prepared
to meet with them then?

Let me be serious here. I want you to please make
a commitment that you will meet with these people, that you will
listen to their concerns. They could tell you a whole lot of other
things your government has done that have set back persons with
disabilities. But that's not what the debate is about.

The debate is about a commitment you made for an
Ontarians with Disabilities Act, and everyone understood to some
extent what that would contain. What you've introduced is a sham
in comparison. Premier, beyond anything else, if you want to be
accountable to people, if you want to be accountable for your
promises, you should at least be prepared to meet with them and
to say face to face what your answer is. Will you meet with these
people, Premier?

Hon Mr Harris: I think
that the member has acknowledged, even in the question, that I
have lived up to my commitment to introduce the act, to consult,
to continue to consult, to take a leadership role for the first
time in Canada.

I don't know how this member particularly has the
nerve, after five years of doing nothing, after five years of
Gary Malkowski begging you to do something, a member of your own
caucus, and now he has come forward and said this Progressive
Conservative government has done more for people with disabilities
than any government has in the history of Ontario, including his
own of which he was a member.

So for you to come forward now - the first time in
Canada. I've put the bill there. The decision-making people are
the committee, and I invite those people to meet with the committee
members who will, with an open mind, as the minister has and as
the parliamentary assistant has, work this bill through the parliamentary
process.